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December 28, 2012

Raymond James Rolls Out Mobile App, New Websites for Clients

The firm says it will launch more IT improvements for financial advisors and their clients in the coming 12-18 months

Raymond James (RJF) said early Friday that it had recently set up mobile versions of websites for 2,000-plus financial advisor and introduced a mobile application for more than 2 million client accounts -- and more technology improvements will be rolled out in the next year or so.

“Raymond James is known as an advisor-centric firm, so in addition to the mobile application for clients, our launch of mobile optimized advisor websites is unique in the marketplace and consistent with our culture of focusing on advisors and how they can enhance their relationships with clients.” said Vin Campagnoli (left), head of technology and strategy development for the firm’s Private Client Group, in a press release.

These two technology updates, which were rolled out in mid-December, make it “easier for advisors to support their clients while building their brands,” Campagnoli explained.

Advisors like Christian Maeder, who is affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services, the firm’s independent channel, say they are “delighted” with the mobile optimized website.

“Even in the confines of a smartphone screen, my clients know it’s our website, the Investor Access is prominent, and my brand is totally consistent with the rest of our marketing materials and messaging,” shared the Torrance, Calif-based Maeder, in a statement. “My clients love it.”

Raymond James, which includes 6,300 advisors in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, says it conducted extensive research with advisors and clients to determine the most important features and capabilities for its new mobile app.

The free mobile app gives clients access to an account summary, portfolio screen/holdings, account activity and a market-snapshot screen. The application is available at Apple’s App Store, Google’s Play Store and Window’s Marketplace.

“We are excited about our client-facing mobile application, which is the latest addition to a platform of mobile capabilities supporting Raymond James advisors and their clients,” said Tim Killgoar, director of Marketing Strategy, Client Experience for the firm, in a press release. “We are pleased that it has already received a positive response from both advisors and investors alike.”

According to James Wycoff, an independent Raymond James advisor with Wycoff-Lucas Retirement Income Investment Group in Cincinnati, Ohio, “Our client-care manager and marketing director, Kristina Gilley, worked closely with the Raymond James web-design team to build a site tailored to our proprietary process and brand … It works well on all our office devices, iPhone, BlackBerry Storm and iPads; and even in the relatively short time it’s been available, we are hearing good things from our clients,” he said in a statement.

Raymond James plans to launch more mobile products and services over the next 12 to 18 months, Campagnoli says. “We will continue to focus on developing tools and resources that support advisors and their clients and which make their relationship with Raymond James both positive and productive,” he explained in a press release.